Hyderabad: Telangana will have elections for seven MLC seats before Lok Sabha polls in the state. Marri Shashidhar Reddy, former union minister and son of late Dr Marri Chenna Reddy, is expected to be MLC candidate of Congress party in Telangana Legislative Council.
To win one MLC, it requires 15 votes as each MLA is considered to be one vote. The grand-old party has just 19 MLAs in Telangana Legislative Assembly as against TRS’ 90 including two defected MLAs, who contested as rebels, and can comfortably get one MLC.
Nine MLCs are retiring this March including Council chairman K Swamy Goud, who has been elected from Graduates constituency.
Other eight MLCs are — Paturi Sudhakar Reddy and P Ravinder from Teachers constituency, MS Prabhakar Rao, Shabbir Ali, T Santosh Kumar, Ponguleti Sudhakar Reddy, Mohammad Salim and Mahamood Ali, all from Assembly constituency.
A Revanth Reddy, DK Aruna, Ponguleti Sudhakar Reddy, Shabbir Ali are strong contenders for MLC slots. Congress may field Marri Shashidhar Reddy in MLAs quota, said a senior leader, who further cited a reason that “Reddy was denied party ticket for Sanathnagar Assembly constituency. Because, Sanathnagar Assembly seat was allocated to TDP as part of Praja Front pact.”
However, Congress offered Secunderabad Assembly ticket to Reddy, but he denied it. Party sources further said that Congress high-command is thinking of fielding Revanth Reddy in Lok Sabha elections.
